During welding or cutting, especially of metallic parts, gases and solid material are generated which not only tend to obstruct the operators vision, but also tend to cause visual and respiratory discomfort. This is especially true when welding or cutting in confined areas, such as assembly lines in factories, where several such operations may be in progress simultaneously.
One difficulty encountered in existing fume extracting torches is in the size and weight of the torch employing such a fume extracting device, and the fact that a large nozzle will interfere with the operator's view. An example of a previous attempt to incorporate a fume extracting device with a hand held welding torch is found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,980,860 which is hereby incorporated by reference.
Another difficulty is in the fact that the fume extracting passageways of existing devices get very hot due to the heat of the fumes drawn away from the weld. This heat causes the fume carrying conduits to deteriorate, and if these conduits are carried by the gun, then the gun handle becomes hot and uncomfortable to handle. If the fume extracting conduit is not carried in the handle, then the torch and associated cables and conduits become unwieldy and cumbersome. Another difficulty, especially where the torch is a welding gun, is in the interference of the fume extracting nozzle with any shielding gas which might be used.
Another problem with existing fume extracting nozzles is that the nozzles are not efficient at extracting ambient air and fumes from the work surface. The openings are not oriented and arranged so that a maximum amount of ambient air and fumes are extracted.
Thus, it is desirable to provide a fume extracting device in combination with a welding torch handle which has a more efficient method of extracting fumes and ambient air from a work surface.